The Emigration Halls - Additional Info Landmarks of Jewish History
Mass emigration from Eastern Europe necessitated new organizational structures. Since the 1890s, HAPAG (Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt- Actien-Gesellschaft) and other shipping companies had set up stations at the German border. From there, direct onward travel to the ports was organized.
The large crowds led to chaos and discontent in the city. Emigrants were blamed for diseases, and antisemitism and xenophobia spread. To counteract this – and not jeopardize business – HAPAG had large emigrant barracks built in 1892. This was intended to counteract the spread of disease and illegal immigration. Ten years later, the modern “Emigration Halls” in Veddel offered travelers more comfort and better care than before. It stands for the simultaneity of aid and economic considerations: Migration became a business model.
Aid Organizations
The transit of hundreds of thousands of Eastern European Jews was soon organized by a network of aid initiatives, such as the Relief Committee for Russian Jews and the Israelite Support Association for the Homeless. Departing and returning travelers were provided with clothing and kosher food. The aim was also for the impoverished people not to become a burden on the city and to continue their journey inconspicuously.
Eastern European Emigration
For Eastern European Jews, the port of Hamburg was mostly a transit point between 1880 and 1914. They fled poverty, but also anti-Jewish legislation and pogroms, and hoped to find work in North America. Locals and so-called ‘Ostjuden’ (‘Eastern Jews’) differed greatly in their cultural practices and social status. They were reserved toward each other. Only a few changed their plans and stayed in Hamburg permanently.
Antisemitism and World War I
Before the war, the transit of Jewish migrants from Eastern Europe had led to an increase in antisemitic hostility. With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Hamburg initially lost its importance as a port of emigration. Shipping traffic came to a virtual standstill. Defeat in the war, fears of revolution, and economic collapse radicalized antisemitism after 1918. Accusations of poor participation in the war and economic enrichment affected the entire Jewish community.
CAPTIONS
Overview map of the Emigration Halls
Steel engraving, circa 1907, reproduction, Hamburg State Archives, reference number 352-3, II F 6 Volume 3, (148 a).
The main focus of the Emigration Halls was hygiene. Quarantine measures were intended to prevent the spread of disease and not jeopardize entry into the ports of destination. Upon arrival, travelers were examined and disinfected. If they showed symptoms, they were placed in separate quarters for observation.
Area for Checking In of Jewish emigrants
Johann Hamann, photograph, around 1909, Hamburg State Archives, reference number 720-1,343-1, H3001165
Extended stays by travelers were not in the interest of the Hamburg Congregation. It posted representatives in the port and in the emigration halls to ensure everything ran smoothly on site. Help was available, for example, in cases of illness. The Congregation also served as contact for the authorities.
Moses (Max) Deutschländer
Teacher, Editor, and Association Official, 1852–1934
Advertising brochure ‘Business School of 1875’,Document, circa 1900, reproduction, Hamburg State Archives, reference number 331-3, 21156
Deutschländer worked as a publisher and editor for various Jewish magazines. He was also active in a large number of associations. Through the Aid Organization, he was involved in caring for Eastern European Jewish emigrants. He was also a co-founder of the Society for Jewish Folklore.
Mary (Maryasche) Antin
Writer, 1881–1949
Photograph, 1915, DB Historical 1/Alamy
Mary Antin emigrated to Boston via Hamburg in 1894 as a young girl. She followed her father there with her mother and sisters. She described her experiences as an immigrant in her autobiography entitled The Promised Land. The bestselling book was marketed as an example of successful integration.
Albert Ballin,
Shipowner and Manager, 1857–1918
Ballin (centre) at the racecourse in Groß-Borstel, photograph, 1905, SHMH Museum of Hamburg History, Inv. No. EB AB 11034
In the 1880s, Ballin’s passenger ship agency offered particularly inexpensive mass transport for Eastern European Jewish emigrants to the USA. In doing so, he competed with the much larger HAPAG Shipping Company . At the age of 30, he became its director. He expanded the enterprise into the world’s largest shipping company.
GlossarY
Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism is a form of prejudice and hostility towards Jewish people. It is based on racist or ethnic stereotypes, not religious attributions. The modern form of anti-Semitism developed in the 19th century, when racist and nationalist ideas emerged and Jews were portrayed as ‘foreign’ or ‘threatening’.
Pogrom
Pogroms are violent attacks on members of a religious, national or ethnic minority that are tolerated or supported by the state. Originally, the term referred to anti-Jewish attacks in Tsarist Russia from 1881 onwards.